Altovectura cupreonitens ( Gorham, 1882 ) Mayor & Gimmel, 2024

Mayor, Adriean J. & Gimmel, Matthew L., 2024, Two New Genera and Three New Species of Dasytinae (Coleoptera: Melyridae) from the Southwestern United States and Mesoamerica, The Coleopterists Bulletin 78 (1), pp. 33-52 : 42-43

Altovectura cupreonitens ( Gorham, 1882) , new combination ( Figs. 23 , 29–31 )

Listrus cupreo -nitens Gorham 1882: 125.

Listrus cupro -nitens Gorham 1882: plate 7, fig. 8 (lapsus calami).

Listrus cupreonitens : Champion 1914: 113, 115–116.

Amecocerus cupreonitens : Pic 1937: 99 (catalog).

Diagnosis. (Based on lectotype and female paralectotype.) Length of male lectotype 3.4 mm; densely setose dorsally ( Fig. 29 ) in both sexes; male pro-, meso- and metatibiae bowed ( Fig. 29 ), the metatibia less so; male protrochanter with spine, mesotrochanter without spine; elytral apices rounded in both sexes ( Fig. 29 ); male ventrite 5 deeply emarginate, emargination deeper than broad, inner margins of lobes parallel ( Fig. 30 ); male pygidium broadly, shallowly emarginate apically ( Fig. 30 ); male sternite VIII not depigmented medially, with very small, semicircular apical emargination medially ( Fig. 30 ); spiculum gastrale intermediate between V- and Y-shaped ( Fig. 30 ); aedeagus ( Fig. 23 ) with apical lobes long, outer lobes sinuate on inner margin and slightly inwardly hooked at apex, basal piece of tegmen gradually tapering proximally; female pygidium shallowly emarginate medially; female ventrite 5 with distinct, broad emargination lined with setae.

Types. Syntypes, Listrus cupreonitens , 2♂♂, 4♀♀, deposited in BMNH : lectotype ♂ ( Figs. 29–31 ), here designated, “ SYN- \ TYPE [round, blue rimmed printed label] // Type \ H. T. [round, red-rimmed printed label] // Type [white printed label] // Quiche Mts. \ 7-9000 ft. \ Champion. [white printed label] // ♂ ♀ [white printed label] // Sp. figured. [white printed label] // Listrus \ cupreo-nitens \ Gorham [white handwritten label] // T. VII. f. 7 [white handwritten label on reverse of handwritten ID label] // B.C.A. Col. III.2. \ Listrus cupreonitens , G. [white printed label] // Dimetylhydantoin- \ formaldehyd \ Water soluble [white printed label] // LECTOTYPE ♂ \ Listrus cupreonitens \ Gorham, 1882 \ des. Mayor & Gimmel [red printed label]”; paralectotype ♀, “TRANSCRIPTIO Quiche \ 7-9000 ft \ Mts. Champion \ Listrus cupreonitens G. [white printed and handwritten label]; 1 ♀ SYN- \ TYPE [round, blue-rimmed printed label] // Quiche Mts. \ 7-9000 ft. \ Champion. [white printed label] // Listrus cupreonitens \ Gorh [white handwritten label] // B.C.A. Col. III.2. \ Listrus cupreonitens , G. [white printed label]”; paralectotype ♀, “TRANSCRIPTIO SYN- \ TYPE [round, blue-rimmed printed label] // Quiche \ 7-9000 ft \ Mts. Champion \ Listrus cupreonitens G. [white printed and handwritten label] // Dimetylhydantoin- \ formaldehyd \ Water soluble [white printed label]”; paralectotype ♀, “ SYN- \ TYPE [round, blue-rimmed printed label] // Capetillo / Guatemala, \ Champion. [white printed label] // Listrus cupreonitens \ Gorh [white handwritten label] // B.C.A. Col. III.2. \ Listrus cupreonitens , G. [white printed label]”; paralectotype ♂, “ SYN- \ TYPE [round, blue-rimmed printed label] // Quezaltenango, \ 7800 ft. \ Champion. [white printed label] // ♂ [white printed label] // Listrus cupreonitens \ Gorh [white handwritten label] // B.C.A. Col. III.2. \ Listrus cupreonitens , G. [white printed label]”; paralectotype ♀, “ SYN- \ TYPE [round, blue-rimmed printed label] // Quezaltenango, \ 7800 ft. \ Champion. [white printed label] // ♀ [white printed label] // B.C.A. Col. III.2. \ Listrus cupreonitens , G. [white printed label]”. All paralectotypes with label added “ PARALECTOTYPE \ Listrus cupreonitens \ Gorham, 1882 \ des. Mayor & Gimmel [yellow printed label]” .

Other Specimens Examined. GUATEMALA: QUETZALTENANGO: Parque el Baul , 14.83045, −91.50037, 2,571 m, 5 June 2015, ex sifted oak forest litter, R. Anderson, GUAT1A15 114 (1♂, SEMC) ; Parque Municipal Bosque Mirasol , 14.90956, −91.66891, 3,000 m, 4 June 2015, ex fogging flowering shrub and Cuscuta sp. , Z. H. Falin, GUAT1F15 017 (4♂♂, SEMC) ; Volcán Siete Orejas , 14.79431, −91.58723, 3,120 m, 5 June 2015, ex fogging miscellaneous fungusy logs, Z. H. Falin, GUAT1F15 020 (1♂, SEMC) ; SAN MARCOS: Vega del Volcán , 15.15439, −92.08501, 2,688 m, 9 June 2015, ex sifted alder forest litter, R.Anderson, GUAT1A15 130 (1♂, SEMC) ; along road to Vega del Volcán , 15.14936, −92.08626, 2,950 m, ex beating roadside slash, Z. H. Falin, GUAT1F15 076 (1♂, SEMC) ; SOLOLÁ: antennae above Xeabaj I, 14.82364, −91.40841, 3,197 m, 7 June 2015, ex sifted mixed litter, R. Anderson, GUAT1A15 122 (2♂♂, SEMC) ; TOTONICAPÁN: nr. Nueva Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan, V. Zunil , 29 July 2008, C. W. and L. B. O’Brien, F. Skillman (1♂, 1♀, FSCA) .

Geographic Distribution. This species is known only from the highlands of the Sierra Madre in Guatemala.

Remarks. Three localities in Guatemala were mentioned in the original description ( Gorham 1882: 125), “ Quiche Mountains [15°00′, −91°10′], Quezaltenango [14°49′, −91°31′, 7,657 ft], Capetillo [14°29′, −90°48′]” (coordinates in brackets are from Selander and Vaurie 1962). The number of specimens was not given, though Champion (1914: 116) later mentioned having seen seven specimens.

Figures

Figs. 23–25. Aedeagus for lectotypes of species of Altovectura, new genus, dorsal. 23) A. cupreonitens;

Figs. 29–37. Altovectura species, male lectotypes; terminalia dissections were performed by the late Karel Majer. Listrus cupreonitens: 29) Dorsal habitus; 30) Dissected terminalia; 31) Labels. L. subcupreus: 32) Dorsal habitus; 33) Dissected terminalia; 34) Labels. L. subcyaneus: 35) Dorsal habitus; 36) Dissected terminalia; 37) Labels. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.